StExBar is a tiny tool which extends Explorer with some handy features.
Install the program and it equips your system with a new toolbar, but this probably won't show up until you manually enable it (in Windows 10, click View > Options on the Explorer ribbon and select StExBar.)
The StExBar toolbar appears beneath the current folder path, and includes the following features.
Console and PowerShell buttons open cmd.exe or PowerShell windows at the current folder.
A Command bar launches a cmd.exe window at the current folder with the command you specify (type DIR, a command window opens to display the results).
"Copy Paths" copies the full path of all selected files to the clipboard. The results are almost identical to the standard Windows option (hold down Shift, right-click a file, select Copy As Path) except the paths aren't surrounded by quotes.
"Copy Names" copies only the names of the selected files (file.ext instead of c:\folder\file.ext.)
"Rename" batch-renames your selected files using regular expressions, probably the most advanced function here.
"Move to Subfolder" prompts you for a subfolder name, creates it and moves your selected files there.
Most of these options have their own hotkey. You can copy all selected file paths to the keyboard by pressing Ctrl+Shift+C, for instance. Each of these hotkeys may be customised.
Perhaps most interesting, you're able to add custom commands of your own, each with their own icon and hotkey, which either launch some useful standard command or a 3rd party tool you've installed.
These tools are added to the menu, and are displayed only when your defined conditions are true. For example, if you'd like to launch a file compare tool, you could tell StExBar to only display your option when it's displaying a regular file system folder, and you've not selected any folders, and you've selected exactly two files. Use a command line like mycompare.exe %selnames and your program will be passed the selected files.
Verdict:
Some of StExBar's functions are either redundant, or not particularly useful. There are other easy ways to launch the console or PowerShell if you need it, for instance, and Explorer can copy file paths itself without difficulty.
There are still some time-savers here, though. Tapping "Copy Paths" is quicker than doing the right-click, "Copy as path" thing; copying names alone might be handy; "Move to subfolder" is useful, and if you know regex, the batch rename feature could justify the download all on its own.
Your Comments & Opinion
Powerful dual-pane file manager with strong archive, FTP and macro support
Watch file creations, changes and deletions on your PC in real time
View and manage Windows startup programs
Get more from Explorer with this powerful shell extension
Analyze, search, back up, clean up, and generally get more from your hard drive with this suite of tools
Analyze, search, back up, clean up, and generally get more from your hard drive with this suite of tools
Take control of your file and folder management with this powerful – if slightly unrefined - utility
Take control of your file and folder management with this powerful – if slightly unrefined - utility
A powerful Notepad replacement